A shop front in Biddulph town centre could be given a new lease of life after a planning application was submitted seeking permission for its reconstruction.

The plans relate to the Off The Rails clothing store on King Street, and were submitted recently to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

The application seeks permission for: "Reconstruction of existing shopfront by inserting new steel beams to support the load above. Also the replace, repair and repoint any existing damaged brickwork."

Diagrams submitted as part of the application explain how, if approved, the shop's signage will be removed and replaced with new signage, with the area around the signage to be reconstructed due to the erosion of steelwork supporting the shop front.

Brickwork in the area, the plans explain, is also in poor condition or disrepair, and would be removed, replaced, raked or repointed.

The window above the shop front would also be removed, with the brickwork around it again being rebuilt.

The application states: "Due to water damage, penetrating dilapidated mortar joints, over a period of time this has caused corrosion of the existing supporting steelwork to the shopfront opening. This has caused the shopfront to move and the brickwork to bow; and become structurally unstable."

The shop's usage will remain the same, while the first floor will also keep its use as a two-bedroom flat.

The district council's planning officers will have the final say on the plans at a later date.